Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielagoi, has told the Samoan Rugby Sevens team that they don't have to speak in English when answering media questions during the IRB tournament.
Talamua online says Tuilaepa, also the Samoa Rugby Union Chairman, told the players that Chinese and Japanese athletes always speak in their native languages even though some are fluent in English.
He also suggested that the players should feel free to speak in Samoan during interviews and leave the interpretation to the team management.
His comments follow a series of TV and radio interviews by Uale Mai after beating New Zealand in the final of the tournament in Las Vegas.
Talamua says Mai struggled through the interviews.
